News

— Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry has signed a pair of executive orders that fast-track environmental permitting for critical minerals and rare earth production as part of an effort to attract heavy industries to the state.

— The United States government passed a sobering milestone Wednesday as the national debt topped $40 trillion, up from $39 trillion only five months ago. Government spending watchdogs are calling the amount “staggering,” noting that the debt has doubled over the past decade alone and is now larger than the entire U.S.

As the Jeff Davis Parish Sanitary Landfill Commission prepares for a new landfill operations contract next year, commissioners spent much of their monthly meeting refining communication procedures, clarifying staff responsibilities and discussing oversight practices intended to guide the commission through the transition.

Local artists, crafters, organizations and other vendors are being sought to help fill the streets of downtown Jennings for the 47th annual Jennings Alive Arts and Crafts Festival on Oct. 24.

WELSH — Residents here now have a new way to stay connected with the town, access important information and take care of business without having to make a trip to Welsh Town Hall. The Town of Welsh has launched a new mobile app designed to make information and services more accessible to residents.

LAKE ARTHUR — Despite a public post announcing his resignation, Lake Arthur Councilman Duke Broussard will continue serving on the council and will also remain on the November municipal election ballot.

— Louisiana officials began a potentially sweeping rewrite of the state's public school funding formula Thursday, with members of a new task force signaling that teacher pay, declining enrollment and vast differences in local tax bases will be central to the debate.

— The U.S. Department of the Interior has transferred jurisdiction of a historic 3-acre parcel located at the mouth of the Calcasieu River to accommodate expansion of the Venture Global LNG export facility in Cameron Parish, Louisiana, according to the Bureau of Land Management.

(The Center Square) — The typical American has to save for at least a decade to afford a home in their state, despite the federal government spending nearly half a trillion dollars on housing programs since 2015, a new report reveals.